Here we are again.  For the fourth consecutive week we are taking on an opponent that, on paper, we are superior to, and the consensus is that we expect to be playing NCC next Friday night in the second round of the Class 1A playoffs.  Everyone knows that Pendleton County, who a week ago fell prey to the Mustangs, barely avoiding a running clock, defeated Bellevue back on September 5th.

September 5th was a long time ago.  Teams improve or take steps back, and are effected by injuries which affect the makeup of your present team.  Rather than focus on the Tigers who lost to Pendleton County, we are best advised to respect the Tigers who defeated Ludlow 12-7, lost narrowly, 6-0 to Newport, and led Holy Cross just prior to halftime.  As we know, or learned from a loss to Dayton two years ago when in a similar position, football is a game of matchups.  It is our aerial assault versus their ground game.  Our game plan will be to contain the Bellevue run game, stop the big play, stop the big play, and stop the big play.  

I am in accord with the popular expectations of victory, but as I have stated over the past four weeks, we may have to be patient and play our best football for 48 minutes.  Time tends to be on our side recently, and once again the challenge for Bellevue will be to come into our house and play well enough to end our season for 48 minutes.  Bellevue is a running team with a strong “ground and pound” game, which we have been able to limit in recent contests.  With the exception of Bracken and Nicholas Counties  who simply overpowered us, we have been relatively successful at stopping the run.

This will be our final home game of the 2025 season, so come out and support our guys for the last time this year at the MAC.  And as always, if you cant make it out to the MAC, Brian and Joe will be “painting the picture” beginning at 6:40pm.  Game time is 7pm.